HINTS ON LANDSCAPE GARDENING 
From the Pen of Humphry Repton, Esq. (1752-1818) 
Part II. 
I N judging the character of any place to 
which 1 am a stranger 1 very minutely 
observe the first impression it makes upon 
my mind, and, comparing it with subsequent 
impressions, I inquire into the causes which 
may have rendered my first judgment erro¬ 
neous. 1 confess there has hardly occurred 
to me an instance where I have experienced so 
great a fluctuation of opinion as in Crewe Hall. 
I was led, from a consideration of the antiquity 
of the Crewe family in Cheshire, to expect 
a certain degree of magnificence; but my 
first view of the house being from an unfa¬ 
vorable point, and at too great a distance to 
judge of its real magnitude, I conceived it 
to be very small; and, measuring the sur¬ 
rounding objects by this false standard, the 
whole place lost that importance which I 
afterwards found it assume on a closer exam¬ 
ination. 
In former days the dignity of a house was 
supposed to increase in proportion to the 
quantity of walls and buildings with which it 
was surrounded. To these were sometimes 
added tall ranks of trees, whose shade con¬ 
tributed to the gloom at that time held es¬ 
sential to magnificence. 
Modern taste has discovered that greatness 
and cheerfulness are not incompatible : it has 
thrown down the ancient palisade and lofty 
walls, because it is aware that liberty is the 
true portal of happiness; yet, while it en¬ 
courages more cheerful freedom, it must not 
lay aside becoming dignity. When we for¬ 
merly approached the mansion through a 
village of its poor dependents, we were not 
offended at their proximitv, because the 
massy gates and numerous courts sufficiently 
marked the distance betwixt the palace and 
the cottage : these being removed, other ex¬ 
pedients must be adopted to restore the 
native character of Crewe Hall. 
The situation of Tatton (Park) may be 
justly described as too splendid to be called 
interesting, and too vast to be deemed pic¬ 
turesque ; yet it is altogether beautiful, in 
spite of that greatness which is rather the 
attribute of sublimity than of beauty. 
The mind is astonished and pleased at the 
very extensive prospect, but it cannot be in¬ 
terested, except by those objects which strike 
the eye distinctly ; and the scenery of 'Pat¬ 
ton is at present of a kind much beyond the 
pencil’s power to imitate with effect; it is 
like the attempt to paint a giant by himself 
in a miniature picture. 
Perfection in landscape may be derived 
from various sources : if it is sublime, it may 
be wild, romantic, or greatly extensive : if 
beautiful, it may be comfortable, interesting, 
and graceful in all its parts; but there is no 
incongruity in blending these attributes, pro¬ 
vided the natural situation continues to pre¬ 
vail; for this reason, no violation will be 
offered to the genius of Tatton Park, if we 
add to its splendor the amenity of interest¬ 
ing objects and give to its vastness the ele¬ 
gance of comfort. 
It is not from the situation only that the 
character of Tatton derives its greatness. 
The command of adjoining property, the 
style and magnitude of the mansion (from 
the elegant design of Samuel Wyat, Esq.), 
and all its appendages, contribute to confer 
that degree of importance which ought here 
to be the leading object in every plan of im¬ 
provement. 
Vastness of extent will no more constitute 
greatness of character in a park than a vast 
pile of differently colored building will con¬ 
stitute greatness of character in a house. A 
park, from its vast extent, may perhaps sur¬ 
prise, but it will not impress us with the 
character of greatness and importance, unless 
we are led to those parts where beauty is 
shown to exist, with all its interest, amidst 
the boundless range of undivided property. 
In the vicinity of the metropolis there are 
few places so free from interruption as the 
grounds at Wembly; and, indeed, in the 
course of my experience, I have seen no spot 
within so short a distance of London, more 
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